Saudi official vs ASF: Who should apologise?

Mr Saeed’s official status, notwithstanding, he was reported to have shoved the ASF official at the security counter and called Pakistanis ‘Al-masakeen’(‘servant class’) before being taken down by other security personnel at the airport. PHOTO: ONLINE/FILE

From minute-by-minute updates on PTI’s latest political gathering to ‘live’ score cards of the FC cup, social media brings you news and at times, before it breaks.

With the millions of TV channels having spawned like bunny rabbits, each with its own version of a particular news story, its Facebook and Twitter updates that have started emerging as major opinion makers rather than the mainstream media. This symbolic transition to social media applications on smart phones and tabs provide a unique news-on-the-go and sometimes direct-from-the-horse’s-mouth experience.

And that’s exactly how I caught the ‘Saudi military official beaten up at Islamabad Airport’ news, from a Twitter update of a friend who happened to be at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport when the scuffle between Airport Security Force (ASF) and the Saudi official, reportedly an armed forces personnel, broke out.

Following the altercation, that reportedly took place amidst a heated exchange of words as the official resisted being frisked at the final security counter, mainstream and social media were awash with all sorts of slapdash analysis and hasty conclusions from the incident.

While some would rebuke the high-handedness of the ASF personnel, following the post-scuffle images of the bleeding Saudi army official, here’s some food for thought;

Nobody is above the law especially when it comes to airport security. ASF has the critical task of safeguarding the lives of all passengers, which sometimes might even require brute force but standard operating procedures apply to all. And although your embassy-issued passport does provide protocol, it should not be construed as a license to shove and jostle an armed guard.

As more news stories poured in, other versions of the incident started making headlines, one Emirates 24/7 story quoted Saudi Sabq Daily stating;

The paper said Shahri, 43, has been in Pakistan for a one-year military course and that he went to the airport to bid farewell to his 17-year-old son, Yousuf, who was returning to Riyadh.

Mr Saeed’s official status, notwithstanding, he was reported to have shoved the ASF official at the security counter and called Pakistanis ‘Al-masakeen’ (‘servant class’) before being taken down by other security personnel at the airport.

Apologies from the interior ministry ensued along with assurances of an investigation at the ‘highest level’.

Meanwhile, here are some excerpts from the Twitterati regarding the whole incident and its aftermath:

Mahrukh we need relations & ties with all on equal basis,& its opportunites like this that we can attempt to create awareness

Note: Some comments have been deliberately omitted/edited for their PG rated content.

Having been a frequent visitor of the Benazir International Airport, like most other government departments in the federal capital, I have found the airport security staff there to be very considerate and professional. They are used to dealing with rude passengers – envoys, celebrities, government officials, men in boots etc from all sorts of backgrounds.

It seems bizarre that our authorities were so quick to issue an apology to the Saudi government for a brawl that may not have been our fault to begin with. Despite the relationship that Pakistan may have with Saudi Arabia, it should be understood that no incident, no matter who the diplomat may be, is exempt from further probe and only once a sturdy conclusion is drawn by the investigative authorities, should an appropriate statement of apology be made by the respective government.

Further investigation, as ordered by the Interior Minister is the only route that can be taken, to reveal what provoked the altercation and whether the Pakistani government or the government of Saudi Arabia owes an apology for the unfortunate incident. Any premature statements offered would be those of speculations and that is not a practice any responsible government should indulge themselves in.

An electrical engineer working at Engro, the writer is an avid freelancer and an aspiring entrepreneur who takes keen interest in politics and current affairs. He tweets at @jalal_awan (twitter.com/jalal_awan)

More by this writer

I support the ASF who were just probably making sure that the Arab was following the rules. Like many Arabs they only follow the rules if imposed upon them by a western foreigner. Otherwise they tend to be the most corrupt third world people.Recommend

Mahrukh

We were a Saudi colony post Afghan War and a Saudi-American habibi yankee colony post- 9/11. Just learn to live with that!

Saudi should apologize. This should be a lesson to the Saudis to stop calling us their servants! Recommend

Uzair

As long as we are ideological slaves of the Arabs, they will consider us their inferiors.Recommend

sars

The sad fact of the matter is that Saudis are much more racist than other societies, which respect you for your work not bacause of your background or passport. Westerners are treated like God and people from the subcontinent and East Asia as beggars.Recommend

I am pretty sure other than Al-Miskeen if he would be stating something else in Arabic then all ASF officials and Pakistanis that time will be running for ablution that they are hearing Arabic without Wuddu and doing great Gunaah and rest of them with Wuddu will be in clear respect and will be praising that great Colonel.Recommend

Anwar Hakam

I fully agree with the readers’ views regarding the despicable arrogance Arabs generally show to people of the subcontinent descent. I, nevertheless, suggest that before jumping to conclusions and fixing responsibility the matter needs to be thoroughly scrutinized. The prudent way to go is to collect all the evidence, including, but not limited to the ctv clipping, statements by the security personnel and any other witnesses present at the time, and FIR, if any. Examine all this evidence and then decide who is at fault in this untoward incidence. One needs to remember that all ASF personnel are not angels. Somebody might have reacted badly to his ego being unjustifiably wounded. Appropriately punishing the ASF personnel for their probable involvement in the incident shouldn’t be that difficult. I do suggest, however, it should be done in the spirit of discipline and not to please the Saudis. I also don’t think that higher ups in the Kingdom’s chain of command, regardless of their benefactor attitude, will be so unreasonable not to reprimand Mr. Saeed for his part in this episode. Recommend

Paki working in Saudi

Millions of Pakistanis work here in Saudi Arabia & I know how Saudis treat us on landing their soul for the first time. They would sort out new arrivals (called as Nafr Jadid by the airport staff) & make a new separate queue for them making them wait for hours (4 to 8 hours on average) without any reason, I repeat without any reason keeping our passports with them. And if you try to ask them the reason of this so called detention, they’d push you hard with their hands & won’t say a single word as if they’re lacking tongue & are barbaric animals. It is an everyday matter with every Pakistani nafr jadid. Let me ask you, did anyone of you especially the media people ever noticed these problems faced by us (Pakistanis) & show me one example Saudi or any other international media ever on aired any news regarding this or even anybody ever witnessed on any TV channel these sort of incidents faced by Pakistanis. I ask Pakistani media to visit only one time here in any of the Saudi airports anytime randomly & check out how exactly they treat you & new comers here only then you’ll know the reality. Saudis are non professionals, uncivilized (buddhos) who totally rely on our man power & most of them tyrannize our poor uneducated labor. I personally met with many Pakistanis who are suffering here only because of Saudi clowns (kafeel) for more than two & half years without pay & not only this they keep their government property (passports) with them & do not have any sympathy.
All I want to say here is that our double standard media along with our manifold standard government is responsible for these circumstances we have been facing for the past 12 years or so.Recommend

Sonya

This is a country that has been developed by hardworking Pakistani engineers, labour, paramedics etc serving in extremely hot weather mostly with love for religiously important land to them and under no cover for human / labour rights. A country, the only one in the world, who is named after a family, thus making it a privately family matter. This is a country where law is applied selectively, where local Saudis are always right in dispute with expatriates, especially from a country of Masakeen – where number of expats beheaded is far greater than the locals – that leads one to think if the locals are such a decent nation. This is a country where special verbal private travel advisory is given especially to people with young wives that “do not leave the taxi (by leaving your wife inside) even for a hand push help if the local Saudi driver requests you to do so pretending it is broke, the driver might take your wife away leaving you stranded on the road”. My grandfather used to narrate that it is not a long ago when groups from Hejaz (now Saudi Arab) would come to Pakistan and India for begging wheat and rice from here. Attitude from Saudi Arab need to be fixed now once for ever – has Imran Khan thought about it? Jalal has it covered nicely for him.Recommend

Khan

Expecting professionalism and maturity is really too much to ask for from a society where majority of people get their jobs nepotism and/or bribe.

No matter what the Saudi said at that time procedures should have been followed. We always end up acting like kids fighting on the street, instead of acting like grownups and showing little maturity and mannerism. It has become our habit start bickering without finding out the truth. I will never forget how all of us were reacting during Cricket’s spot fixing row .. without finding out the truth even PCB chairman and our honorable Ambassador to the UK got involved in finger pointing.

The ASF officials should have arrested to chap and handed him over to the police for investigation. This is what they are authorized to do, they have no authority to start a fist fight like a boxing ring in front of all the passengers at the airport.Recommend

Ejaz Ahmed

Saudi official deserve for this act, as he misbehaved with ASF officials and try to show that he is superior to pakistanis people. On contrary, if he have been in any western country, he would have follow proper rules and procedures.
Keep it up ASF. You did your duty with devotions and dedications.Recommend

http://twitter.com/#!/Pugnate Noman Ansari

I lived in Saudi Arabia for a long time. I know this won’t sound politically correct, but they honestly look at Pakistanis as if they are dogs. But a white person they will flock around all day. Have seen it dozens of times. Recommend

Al-Masakeen does NOT mean “servant class”. I am an Arab and I know the meaning of my own words without the alterations by the media.

Maskeen means poor guy. Al-Masakeen means people down on their luck sort to speak. We for example “I am maskeen just let me pas through” or “These guys are masakeen we should help them”. DOES NOT MEAN “Servant”.

I’m well aware of the contempt that many Saudis seem to have for Asians, and I believe ASF when they say that that the diplomat misbehaved.

But frankly, I think ASF is exaggerating the diplomat’s misdemeanor to avoid facing the natural consequences of their barbaric actions. The best way to do that was to appeal to our infinite nationalism: “They called us ‘servant class‘, so we beat them up!” (applause)

I’m afraid that’s simply not how civilized societies work. You don’t beat up passengers, and you certainly don’t beat up foreign diplomats.

One may argue all he wants about how badly Saudis treat Pakistanis at their airports, and that this was perfectly fair. I would counter-argue that if you fall to their level, you lose the right to play the victim card, and must admit yourselves to being every bit as brute as they are.Recommend

Bazil Mahmud

If this man was an American, PTI, PML N and the mullahs would have been on the streets chanting slogans. But because he is a Saudi we must bow down before him and kiss his feet? No country has done as much damage to the very social fabric of Pakistan as Saudi Arabia. They have destroyed our culture, our traditions and imposed Wahabbism onto our people through their maddrasahs. We must not apologise nor take action against the ASF under any circumstances. Recommend

ijazmir

There is difference between masters and slaves. Some one feed you and settle all your political disputes and Pay all your deficits. How can you misbehaves? This is not a civilised drama.Recommend

Falcon

^What has KSA given Pakistan: the gift of madrassa inspired terrorist mindset and a version of Islam that has made Pakistan the laughing stock of the world!
I say, CJ should take suo moto on this one instead of involving His majesty in petty affairs..Recommend

@Saudiperson, calling yourself stupid is ok as it is your personal matter, but calling us supid i am sorry man we have all rights to protest… keep your definitions to youself !!Recommend

gp65

@Falcon: “What has KSA given Pakistan: the gift of madrassa inspired terrorist mindset and a version of Islam that has made Pakistan the laughing stock of the world!
I say, CJ should take suo moto on this one instead of involving His majesty in petty affairs..”

Aren’t you failing to take some accountability for your decisions? If Saudi Arabia was trying to give their culture, you need not have accepted it. It was your leaders that decided to allow your mosques to be radicalized to provide human fodder for a Saudi jihad against Russians in lieu of some military toys from US and money from Saudi Arabia. It was your public that went along with this radicalization agenda.Recommend

Mr. Jalal, way to go!You have presented an insightful analysis, if only Rehman Malik read|(could read) tribune!!Recommend

Falcon

I differ gp65. The public never was in favor of this radicalisation. However, the afghan jihad was in need of the hour and saved us from Russian colonisation plans- it was our future at stake and we had to force the russians out. The ‘aftermath’ and post-afghan war radicalisation is what saudia gifted us, it was noit a natural outcome of the jihad, but a calucalated Saudi government’s tactic to radicalise our society.Recommend

Mutahhir

@Sonia ‘This is a country that has been developed by hardworking Pakistani engineers, labour, paramedics etc serving in extremely hot weather mostly with love for religiously important land to them and under no cover for human / labour rights….’

Your hard-working engineers and doctors did not come out of love for Saudia, but out of love for the Riyals and lifestyle that KSA offered. We, however, reciprocate the services of Pakistan Army in training Saudis by providing aid and considering Pakistan as a brother Islamic country.Recommend

Jalal Awan

‘..Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani taking notice of the incident has directed to launch case against those involved in the incident. Interior minister Rehman Malik has also sought a report from FIA over the incident in next 24 hours.

Malik also assured the Saudi ambassador in Pakistan over telephone that an indiscriminate inquiry will be launched against the ASF personnel involved in the incident. On the other hand, defence secretary Nargis Sethi also directed high officials of ASF to complete the investigation report in 24 hours.—’

Apparently, they are not even considering possible provocation by the Saudi official, I guess the ASF personnel will have to bear the brunt of the entire debacle without having the opportunity of presenting a case! Unfortunate!Recommend

gp65

@Falcon: “The public never was in favor of this radicalisation.”

You , your friends and family may not be radicalized. There are always exceptions. But if the public was not in favor of radicalization, the society would not have been radicalized. The intolerance has been growing in Pakistan. First it was against Hindus and Sikhs, then against Bengalis, then against Ahmadis, then Balochs and lately Shias. Ph and by the way oppression of Hindus/Sikhs, Bengalis and Ahmadis precedes the Afghan jihad – so you can blame Saudis for that radicalization. Saudis threw the same seed everywhere India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia but it grew fastest in PAkistan because the ground was fertile.Recommend

fuad

We all know who was at fault and most of the comments above are a reflection. For diplomatic reasons the state had to respond the way it did, because we are indebted, no doubt, to the Saudis. However, i sincerely hope that the ASF guard is not reprimanded or punished for the unfortunate incident, and I hope our guests a bit more careful in the future.Recommend

Ally

@Mutahhir:

Really is that why you treat our people like rubbish? Keep your brotherly ‘love’ along with your version of religion. With love comes respect, once you can respect us (as normal human beings) then we will believe about your brotherly love. Recommend

Ya know, we shudnt let ’em habibis in to hunt partridges as a protest!Recommend

LionOfPunjab

@Ordinary Villager 21 hours ago
“….I am pretty sure other than Al-Miskeen if he would be stating something else in Arabic then all ASF officials and Pakistanis that time will be running for ablution that they are hearing Arabic without Wuddu and doing great Gunaah and rest of them with Wuddu will be in clear respect and will be praising that great Colonel….”

Well, first things first, if it were an American, you’d all be chanting anti-govt. slogans and wudve taken to the streets pure pakistani style. Even a sit in in front of the parliament wudve been forthcoming. Walkouts by ur MNAs, talkshow hosts crying sore about the beggarly attitude et al.

However, since it was a Saudi, admit it, that you people are not as offended as perhaps if it were a US marine! You’d have stopped all flights from KSA, staged a sit in at the airport and pledged over ur Holy Book to not give up protesting unless the Saudi govt issued an apology.

You are one confused nation, you have double standards and you are double-faced!Serves you right!Recommend

Mutahhir

@Ally:

Well, Saudis are and always will be in favor of the sole Islamic nuclear power, your contentions notwithstanding!Recommend

Mutahhir

P.S A few instances of disrespect at a particular airport doesnot belittle the centuries old bond of friendship and mutual respect the two countries have. ET has a funny following of mislead youth who create a mole out of a molehill on every non issue!Recommend

Mahrukh

From all the comments I’ve gone through, this one clicked the most:

‘@Falcon: “The public never was in favor of this radicalisation.”

You , your friends and family may not be radicalized. There are always exceptions. But if the public was not in favor of radicalization, the society would not have been radicalized. The intolerance has been growing in Pakistan. First it was against Hindus and Sikhs, then against Bengalis, then against Ahmadis, then Balochs and lately Shias. Ph and by the way oppression of Hindus/Sikhs, Bengalis and Ahmadis precedes the Afghan jihad – so you can blame Saudis for that radicalization. Saudis threw the same seed everywhere India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia but it grew fastest in PAkistan because the ground was fertile.’

I’ve been to KSA on business trips, felt a strong sense of contempt-of-Pakis attitude right from the airport to the official meetings.
It has grown all the more since the Musharraf era, presumably because of the pro-American policies back then. On hindsight, Saudia itself is an American colony per se, with US military presennce in every nook and cranny.Recommend

SyedaZehra

btw Engro people I’ve met all happen to have one thing in common: their extremely nationalist mindset! they have this chest-thumping, narcissistic attitude in every affair ranging from relations with India to 9/11 u turn. With Asad Umar and the likes joining mainstream politics, we’re in for a Mullah led alliance with a narrow, nationalist mindset and an extremely contorted worldview…Recommend

Diplomat

..honk honk whats the point of the entire debate when the apology ahs been made?!Recommend

@fuad: what do you mean by ‘diplomatic reasons’?
The same reasons that led you to free blackwater spies roaming around in the streets of lahore?
Saudis never put diplomatic ties in the way of their brutal Kafeel system or the derogatory attitude towards the working class in KSA>?

We have seen 20 years where petro dollars were used to make Saudis sacred for us. Now things are changing and Anti Saudi sentiment is fast growing in Pakistan. But the way this person was beaten by ASF is wrong. All they should have done was to put him in lock up and charged him formally. ASF is not allowed to manhandle any one, Saudi or Pakistani. We should not just jump to conclusion just because we are increasingly getting anti Saudi (including myself who has grown anti Saudi over last few years). Rule of law should matter and not nationalityRecommend

ali sindhi

i am living in northern Europe and let me tell you we see fights here every Saturday nights but no police offices hit any person with punch or get physical, the way the Saudi official was treated. am not concerned weather he broke the law or not there are ways to deal it. lets face it you don’t know how to handle crisis situation. the civilized world don’t consider you as civilized, you always deal with things in a violent manner but when its comes against giants of world you end up with apology and other thing saudi has been filling your belles for quite some time with free oil and letting your menpower in there country. so rather watching porn on web and became no.1 porn viewing nation there are other informative material to surf on and became civilized Recommend

Anjum Kiani

Whats the hype here,man! They guy was on a military course, he had his first training lesson right at the airport.
The ISPR shoul’ve issued an apology for starting the training a wee bit early!Recommend

No ‘standard operating procedure’ at any airport allows you to thrash an unarmed guy. For god’s sake, consider your diplomat being thrashed at a US airport, strip-checked is okay, thrashing is not!Recommend

Vikram

@Sonya: “This is a country where special verbal private travel advisory is given especially to people with young wives that “do not leave the taxi (by leaving your wife inside) even for a hand push help if the local Saudi driver requests you to do so pretending it is broke, the driver might take your wife away leaving you stranded on the road”.

Saudis are just trying to help Pakistanis by warning their wives may be kidnapped/raped by a taxi driver if they leave her alone. I also saw a fatwa, stating a Muslim woman should never be alone with a driver even in a bus, because that could lead to you know what.Recommend

Parvez

Two things involved here which are getting mixed up :
– Contempt by the people of both countries for each other. Is a people to people thing.
– Poor training of our ASF resulting in an avoidable incident. Is a country to country thing.
The people to people contempt has no place here. An apology was ‘ the right thing ‘ and it has in no way hurt us. Recommend

Saliha

Some people are projecting that Pakistan is indebted to Saudi Arab. Well on a state level it is true but Saudis are racists even on a very basic individual level too and that cannot be justified by any lending of oil and wealth (not to mention sectarianism and export of terrorism and wahabism) to our country. NOTHING justifies their holier-than-thou attitude on a personal level. Saudis are the most lazy beings to inhabit the earth where they want to pluck upon the wealth created by no more a brilliance of their minds than knowing how to cash oil. They would not be able to make an honest days living if they ran out of oil someday.Recommend

By apologising, the govt has already surrendered its right to an impartial inquiry. What else do you expect of Rehman Malik, advisor to the PM?Recommend

Vigilant

@Mahrukh:
Would love to

@Paki working in Saudi:
Spot On buddy…….

ASF did perfectly right thing

After working for three years in Saudi Arabia……..i observed followings;

1- We are barely Muslims due to our flawed believes
2- We are doing jobs in Saudi as we don’t have any-thing to eat back their
3- There are no educated people specially professionals are considered far inferior than their own……..even i know some engineering PhDs who cannot write complete sentence in English.
4- If u argue over something Saudi will finish it by saying “Anna Saudi” means i am Saudi……so i am right
5- No matter how much your educated, talented they will always look down upon u
6- They had made three broad categories a) People from Europe and America are Boss or masters even they don’t know S**t b) People from middle east are friends or some what equal and c) People from East Asia from Pakistan to Philippines are servants and slaves.
7- Most racist people ever know……racism is not individual but as part of federal and departmental policies
some departments specify they need American or European national project manager clearly so leaving no room for others with equal capabilities
8- Embassy staff……sorry to say is “impotent” as they are busy to bring their kids and get them hired with good salaries…..others seeking business opportunities with locals…..so no chance for helping Pakistanis…..
9- For Pakistanis back at home Saudi Arabia means Makkah & Medina so media shows same and completely neglecting more than 1 million PakistanisRecommend

An Ordinary Pakistani

If we, ordinary Pakistanis, are not respected in our own country how can we expect others to respect us?

Is there any doubt in anyone’s mind that in our own country we are treated no better than modern-day serfs, with effectively no rights, no real independent voice, and no respect as human beings, suffering all kinds of hardships and humiliation, resigned to serve helplessly our elites and rulers so they may live a life of profane luxury, while we and our families live in misery?

Besides, where is the rule of law in our country? Isn’t it a fact of everyday life that our VIP’s openly flout the law at every available opportunity, whether at the airport or outside?

Let’s put our own house in order first before criticizing others. Recommend

AK

Looking at the comments above, it is clear that even educated people carry around prejudices and stereotypes… whether against Americans, Saudis, Pakistanis or Indians. I have worked in saudi.. it is true that the treatment on Saudi airports isn’t very professional… yet on the other hand i have met many very decent and good Saudi people. This incident should be investigated on its merit and facts only keeping our prejudices and complexes on one side.Recommend

Chulbul Pandey

The news of Saudi official being roughed up in Pakistan is regrettable. It should not have happened. However, it looks like that there is a lot of anger in locals against Saudis because of the way they treat Pakistanis.

I want to ask our western neighbors – Why do you guys like to be associated with Arabs? Why do you hold KSA in such a high regard even though they treat your countrymen so poorly? Their racist behavior towards south Asians is so appalling and yet you guys talk about Muslim Ummah with Pakistan almost acting like KSA’s colony?

Is that Ghairat? Would it not make more sense to keep your identity and stand up for your right rather than be submissive towards “Arab Owners”? I am sad to read stories after stories on how our south Asian people suffer humiliation.Recommend

wlie8

Miskeen means Begger in English, just Google ‘Miskeen meaning in English’, and we all know the reasons why he might have said that.

@Chulbul Pandey: Saudis have invested a lot of money on religious parties who have very smartly mixed Islam with Arabism. So people actually started respecting and revering Arabs because of their love for Islam. But Arabs are human like anyone else albeit a bit more racist than normal. So first there was cognitive dissonance once behaviour of Arabs was not in line with hyped up expectations; people used to think is as one odd incident. But now a backlash is happening in Pakistan after people have realized that this reverence was artificial. Hopefully after sometime, we will start treating them normally.Recommend

Chulbul Pandey

@Farhan Shahid Khan:
Farhan Khan ji, thanks for the reply. From what I have read on Pakistani news websites, KSA has been actively involved in promoting and financing their extreme version of Islam in Pakistan. Here is an article I found on CriticalPPP site: http://criticalppp.com/archives/78538. Another count of abuse hurled at our South Asian brother.

One can only hope that sanity will prevail in the end. However, we must not wait for a change of heart from others. We must stand united against such behavior. We South Asians are very hard working people and deserve respect and honor.
Sincerely.Recommend

Sajida

He would get an intrusive examination in US;but that is okay?
Pakistan should stay away from Saudis.Recommend